CLIFFSIDE PARK — A 59-year-old borough firefighter died in the line of duty this week after a 16-hour post standing watch in frigid temperatures at a building where a fire alarm had gone off, officials said.

Cosmo Paris, an 18-year veteran of the Cliffside Park volunteer fire department, became the first firefighter to die in the line of duty in the United States this year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Paris suffered a heart attack Wednesday driving home from his extended shift making sure there was no fire at an Anderson Avenue building, the agency said.

Paris was pronounced dead at a local hospital after being found by police, according to the fire administration. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son-in-law.

“Cosmo will be greatly missed and his legacy of helping others will live on in his memory through his family,” his obituary says.

A visitation is scheduled for Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the McCorry Brothers Funeral Home, and a firefighter’s turnout at 7:30 p.m.

Paris, who worked as a plumbing and heating specialist as well as a part-time tow truck driver, was known for making replica fire trucks out of various recycled materials, the Cliffside Park Citizen reported. One of his model’s made it into the New Jersey Firefighters Museum in Boonton and his works have often appeared in the Ridgefield Park Fourth of July parade.

For Paris, the creative trucks were often a way to meet people and further contribute to his community.

"Whether I am serving as a firefighter or bringing joy through my creations, I believe in giving back," he told the newspaper in October.